Air Show Taking Off At Langley

It's A Bird And A Plane

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE — "Thunderbirds" spread their wings in preparation for Langley's Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show.

The Thunderbird screamed from behind the small audience gathered at the edge of Langley Air Force Base's flight line.

A low rumble echoed through the smoke the F-16 Fighting Falcon left in its wake. Within seconds, it was gone, replaced by another plane that sped across the sky while in a 360-degree roll.

Hartley "Buddha" Jordan jumped up and down, pointing to the sky.

Wearing red Oakley Sunglasses, a wide brimmed baseball cap and earplugs stuffed inside his ears, the 43-year-old with Down Syndrome didn't see or hear it coming.

"Whoa -- did it scare me," he said through a smile.

But he liked it.

In fact, all 50 or so people with special needs watching the fighter jets alongside Jordan felt pretty honored to be at Langley Friday afternoon.

The group -- most of whom were Special Olympians, participants in Big Brothers, Big Sisters or residents of the abused children's shelter Safehaven -- began the day with a private picnic beneath a static display of a bomber plane.

They were then escorted to the VIP section of the flight line for a private performance by the Thunderbirds U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron.

The performance also acted as a practice run prior to Friday night's kick-off of Langley's Air Power Over Hampton Roads.

The annual air show runs through the weekend, and the Thunderbirds will perform for the public today and Sunday.

"I hope people who come later won't be surprised by what they do," Jordan said of the fighters sneaking up on the audience.

Michael Dickens hopes they pay attention.

"It's so fast," the 34-year-old said.

In split seconds, the planes fly by upside down. They come in straight toward each other, peeling off in what seems like inches before crashing.